This Week in Learning: May 24th, 2015

Hard to believe we are half way through Term 2 already, five weeks of study and nary a post have I shared. We have been learning, but I’ve been engaged in my usual struggle, record keeping, therefore only have snippets and reflections of the past five weeks to share.

Speech Therapy

Bass is having weekly lessons with a speech therapist which means I’m given ‘homework’ to do with him. It’s not onerous, nor time heavy, but it is one more thing on my to do list. sigh

Reading

Jelly Bean exploded into the world of reading at the end of Term 1. She has continued to read an average of a book a day, reading her way through the Magic Ballerina books. Whilst they aren’t ‘high literature’ they are indeed chapter books!:) And even worthy of producing conversations about plots, and ‘mis-casting’ and the need for editors to proofread so ‘sequence of events’ are logical. So very thrilling to see her enthused about reading.

Jack Jack continues to be un-enthused about reading, he can and will do it if I ‘corral’ him, and I know daily practice is the only solution but I admit arguing gets tiring and there are days reading practice slips by the wayside.

Jem has the potential to wizz ahead if only he would spend 10 minutes a day consistently on All About Reading (yes it’s that good) but he has the attention span ‘of a flea’

Whilst Michelangelo and Princess are still reading too much twaddle, I have been assigning them a quality book a week and they are reading. Hooray! (see list below)

Taking a break from All About Spelling with the younger children and using Schonell’s Spelling book instead. A great little book, 3200 common words, grouped in families and an easy way for the children to build on their spelling skills. JB and JJ are ready to increase their ‘weekly word count’.

Princess has been focusing on lists of words for ‘Secondary Students’, a good stretch for my competent speller

Michelangelo Schonell AAS

Handwriting

Jack Jack still begins and continues his letters incorrectly. End result is neat but still….trying to get him to correct.

Jem should be practising more regularly but truth is I’m prioritising his Sacramental Preparation and reading at present.

Grammar

Finally having the grammar lessons and conversations I’ve long dreamed of with the older children. Using an old text, English for Australian Schools – Ridout, Book 5 (Grade 11), I’m finding ‘teaching’ the lessons with the two of our teens together most effective. At this stage we are focusing on vocabulary and the words and exercises are a stretch, which is wonderful. I have an extensive vocabulary but some words have stretched me. Using the older texts highlights the quality of education of yesteryear.

Continue to be happy with the older Australian grammar texts I’m using with Jelly Bean and Jack Jack, a great mix of focuses. Both children impress me with their understanding, I expected them to struggle with some concepts but they haven’t, they often listen in to each other’s lessons and contribute, they really enjoy grammar.

I’ve tried to start Jem with grammar but really he’s not ready, at this stage his time would be best spent focusing on his reading anyhow.

Writing

Have been using The Lively Art of Writing – Lucile Vaughan Payne with Michelangelo and Princess. Reading through the chapters together and the children then doing the exercises. I’ve been most happy with their writing ability but the chapters are rather long and even though I’m skimming and condensing I know Princess in particular is finding it too much of a stretch, I’m losing her. In our last lesson we’ve been focusing on thesis statements and she’s really not getting it, she’s a couple of years younger than Michelangelo, which is a factor. My new plan is for me to pre-read the chapter and then just ‘teach’ the content in my words so she’s not lost by the chapter end, as the concepts are brilliant.

Encouraging the younger children to write a couple of short stories a week. For the boys I’m scribing, it encourages them to focus on story plots, sequence of events, probability (or not;)

JB’s writing voice has suddenly become more mature which is wonderful to see, I do wonder if there is a correlation between her independent reading and her writing maturity. Is she writing better now she is immersing more in the written world? More aware of plots and development?

A few weeks back I made small simple paper books for the boys, one of those ‘quick moments’ that lead to a deep learning immersion. You can’t plan those moments but you can jump aboard and enjoy the ride. JJ was so taken with his booklet that he became very engrossed in ‘writing a book’ for the next couple of weeks. Using the ladybird reader on the story of the Three Little Pigs, he copied much of the story but added twists and turns and planned a different ending. He lived and dreamed that book, taking it to bed with him, his constant companion, he’d regale us with what he planned to write when he got to the point of deviation. He never actually finished the book, maybe one day, but a writer ‘was born’ during that period.

Faith

Sacramental Preparation for JJ and Jem using my plans. In a few short months JJ will be making his Confirmation and Jem his Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Lots of fascinating conversations with the children, such a privilege to prepare our children to receive their Sacraments.

JB has been reading her way through Fr Lovasik’s Picture Book of Saints. She has been fascinated by some of the Saints in particular, excitedly telling me all about them. (extra reading practice too, win, win;)

The three younger children have been concentrating on learning their times tables, with the assistance of youtube, though I admit hearing them rap out throughout the day “Yo bro, you know the score, 2 x 2 = 4” is a little disconcerting.

All three are also feeling too challenged and therefore unmotivated to undertake their lessons, needing a little tlc, so I have been sitting with them and encouraging and walking them through the lessons.

Princess ‘hit a wall with her maths’ so took herself back and is revising some of her work from her earlier years to find the missing pieces. I’m impressed with her initiative and diligence.

Michelangelo has been focusing on statistics, tax fees etc

Science

Princess has been learning about The World Environment: pollution, endangered animals, the effects of war on the environment and other environmental issues, she is finding it interesting and for a child who’s not that interested in scientific matters that’s rather exciting.

Reading through Wonderland of Nature by Nuri Mass with the younger children. They are rather engaged, particularly Jem. One day he announced that he’d “like to be a bee, a princess bee ’cause prince bees die quickly.” Priceless conversations.

Geography

Children focusing on learning the counties and capitals of various continents, the older children learnt all of South America and are now memorising African nations. The younger children focused on Australia. Checked their knowledge with pop quizzes at the end of the weeks.

This then led to an interest in other map knowledge and now has evolved for some into flag knowledge too. They have been deeply engaged in online geography games, an interactive, engaging way to learn with no tears:)

Reasonably happy with the couple of sites we are using but I wish they had sound for pronunciation. Anyone have any sites to recommend?

History

Reading John of the Sirius – Doris Chadwick for Australian history with the younger children, as always excellent and dearly loved. We’re close to finishing and then plan to read the sequels.

History for the older children has fallen to the wayside, so I need to keep my ‘finger on the pulse’ a little better with them. Not overly worried though with Michelangelo as in the past he has devoured audios and books on history, he is a history buff, at present much of his energies are ‘all things science’. Princess however, whilst a living book fan does need to broaden her general knowledge.

Creative Arts

Our local homeschool group has engaged a drama teacher this term and we are having weekly workshops. The teacher is brilliant, the children are loving this opporutunity and we’ll complete the Term with a play.

Drawing as always is a passion with children

Extra curricula of dance lessons and soccer training are happening.

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

Join over 3.000 visitors who are receiving our newsletter and learn how to optimize your blog for search engines, find free traffic, and monetize your website.

We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.

Related

2 Responses

I have children (boys!) who have writing issues. I have made a plan and am about a third of the way through it. I am seeing results so I will post a blog soon. Basically back to basics and do it over and over and over.